Selected articles on industrial development in emerging economies

Russia: Mordashov to process wood in tandem with Finns

Severstal owner Alexei Mordashov will expand his wood business. In tandem with Finland’s UPM, the businessman wants to construct a sawmill, an OSB plate maker and a pulp and paper enterprise in the Vologda region. Last time in Russia, a new pulp and paper enterprise was set into motion far back in early 1980s.

Kommersant [© ZAO Kommersant Publishing House]

Brazil: Exports of wood products rise 13% in October

Exports of wood products in October 2007 generally showed growth from October 2006 levels. Exports of general wood products (except pulp and paper) rose from USD332.5 million in October 2006 to USD375.7 million in October 2007, resulting in a 13% increase in value.

FORDAQ [© FORDAQ]

South Africa: Adding value across the pulp and paper cycle

As with just about every other commodity, China is currently offering the main price underpin for pulp prices, which have risen strongly over the last few months, but remain volatile. However, Mondi continues to view China primarily as a market opportunity rather than a production base, given the country's relative shortage of fibre.

Engineering News [© Creamer Media (Pty) Ltd]

China: US commission strikes down China duties

The US International Trade Commission Tuesday struck down proposed duties on glossy paper imports from China in a landmark case that had prompted the US Commerce Department to change a decades-old policy.

FT.com [© Reuters]

Uruguay authorizes start of wood pulp plant near Argentine border

Uruguay has authorized the startup of a wood-pulp plant on its river border with Argentina, which has long opposed the mill and warns it will pollute a region of soybean and citrus-farming plantations.

iht.com [© International Herald Tribune]

South Africa: Sappi sales up

Sappi reported a 50% jump in basic earnings per share from 18 US cents for the three months to end September 2006 to 27 US cents for the September quarter of 2007.

The Times [© Johnnic Media Investments Limited]

India: Paper industry to pump in $2.5 bn for hiking capacity

The paper industry is set to invest $2.5 billion in the next two to three years to add 2 million tonnes of capacity and improve cost-competitiveness.

Business Line [© The Hindu Business Line]

Brazil’s exports of wood products ease in September

Exports of wood products (except pulp and paper) decreased 2.8% in September 2007, compared with the same period of 2006, when USD 355.3 million was exported. This year, total exports in September reached USD345.4 million. Pine sawnwood exports decreased in value by 0.1% in September compared to the same period in 2006. However, volume rose by 0.5% in September 2006 to September 2007.

FORDAQ [© FORDAQ]

India: ITC paper division capacity addition, tech infusion on course

Bhadrachalam Paperboards Division of ITC Ltd is going full steam on manufacture of writing and printing paper through addition of a new line for one lakh tonnes capacity, work on which is targeted for completion by March 2008. ITC is also setting up a second ECF (elemental chlorine free) line at its mill at a cost of Rs 600 crore.

Business Line [© The Hindu Business Line]

India: ITC, Ballarpur Industries eye tie-ups with Swedish companies

Indian paper companies are looking at tie-ups with companies in Sweden for technical expertise in paper and pulping and environmental technology. The Indian paper industry delegation’s visit to Sweden this month has yielded discussions between several players on both sides.

Business Line [© The Hindu Business Line]

Indonesia's pulp and paper exports may slightly increase in 2007

Indonesia's pulp and paper exports in 2007 increased by 7.1 percent to US$4.5 billion compared to last year`s US$4.2 billion. The increase was prompted by a rise in demand for pulp from China, India, Japan and some other countries in East Asia, and the closure of pulp factories in some South American countries as raw materials have become increasingly difficult for them to obtain.

AntaraNews [© LKBN ANTARA]

China posts strong results in wood products trade in H1

China’s wood products trade in the first half of 2007 continued to show dramatic increases, according to the latest statistics data from China’s customs agency.

FORDAQ [© FORDAQ]

Indonesian paper makers say they could fold

Two of Asia's biggest pulp and paper companies have warned they could close within two months with the loss of up to 1m jobs unless Indonesia’s police and forestry department resolve a dispute over alleged illegal logging.

FT.com [© Reuters]

China: Study finds China's paper recycling industry protecting forests

China's booming recycling industry is helping to slow the destruction of forests worldwide, providing a strong market for wastepaper that mostly comes from the United States and Europe, according to a study by the Washington, D.C.-based Forest Trends.

International Herald Tribune [© International Herald Tribune]

South America forest and paper sector ― a new player on the global scene

South America is emerging as a major global player in the forest, paper and packaging industry, presenting opportunities for producers as a supply base and as a growing market for forest, paper and paper-based packaging products.

CNW GROUP [© CNW Group Ltd.]

Vietnam: Hong Kong’s Lee&Man set to build paper mills in Hau Giang

Hong Kong-based Lee&Man Paper Manufacturing Ltd on Wednesday received licences from Hau Giang Province to build two paper mills totalling US$600 million at the Song Hau Industrial Park.

US expands China paper anti-dumping tariff

The U.S. Commerce Department is imposing additional preliminary duties of up to 99.65 percent on imports of glossy paper from China, on top of earlier, much smaller duties that already have caused friction.

FT.com [© Reuters]

India: Paper industry needs technology upgradation fund

India's paper industry is reeling under the twin pressures of scarcity of raw material and a serious technology gap as compared to its counterparts in other countries like Brazil, Chile and Indonesia, a study by industry chamber FICCI says.

The Hindu [© The Hindu]

South Africa: Sappi looks to increase efficiencies ahead of price rises

Pulp and paper manufacturer Sappi reported good overall performance for the second quarter and half-year ended March, with cash generated by operations 50% higher than this time last year, with sales of $1,318-billion. This quarter has seen the best operating income for Sappi since 2003.

Engineering News [© Creamer Media (Pty) Ltd]

China expands trade of forest products in Q1

China’s imports of timber raw materials such as logs grew substantially in the first quarter of 2007, according to customs authorities. In contrast, imports of wood-based panel and paper products fell markedly. Meanwhile, exports of furniture, wood-based panels and sawnwood increased at a higher rate.

FORDAQ [© FORDAQ]

Russia: No more cheap timber exports

During his visit to the Komi capital of Syktyvkar this week, First Deputy PM Sergey Ivanov stressed that Russia would no longer be an exporter of cheap timber. Export taxes on round timber will continue to increase, he warned foreign importers.

BarentsObserver.com [© BarentsObserver]

Chinese demand puts a strain on timber

China's voracious appetite for commodities ranging from copper to corn is now lighting a fire in a new sector – timber. Businesses dealing in wood in Europe say the cost of timber is soaring amid an acute shortage of supplies.

FT.com [© The Financial Times Limited]

Russia: Finns fear that Russia aims to reduce their mills to pulp

Imatra, close to St Petersburg, finds itself at the centre of a trade row, which erupted after Russia announced plans to increase taxes on timber exports 10-fold by 2009, a move that threatens to undermine Finland's vital pulp and paper industry.

FT.com [© The Financial Times Limited]

China paper company attacks US duties as political

A Chinese paper company hit by US protectionist duties said on Friday that Washington has turned it into a scapegoat as part of a 'trade containment strategy' directed at China and it vowed to fight the duties.

Daily Times [© Daily Times]

South Africa: Wood works as a tie that can bind

The biggest matchmaking event yet planned between the wood products and wood processing industries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the European Union is expected to significantly boost multilateral trade in these sectors.

allAfrica.com [© Business Day (Johannesburg)]

China demands US rethink on duties

China's commerce ministry has lashed out against a US move to impose duties against Chinese glossy paper exports and demanded that Washington reconsider the move in the latest sign of trade friction between the two countries.

FT.com [© The Financial Times Limited]

Malaysia: Ballarpur Industries in talks for expansion of concession area

According to Ballarpur Industries Ltd. Managing Director Rajive R Vederah, the further expansion of the SFI concession area is vital to support its plan to increase the pulp and paper production at the SFI mill in Sipitang to about half-a-million in two years.

Daily Express [© Daily Express, Sabah, Malaysia]

Flat prospects - digital media and globalisation shake up an old industry

The pulp-and-paper multinationals have been hard hit by the electronic age. And, as they thrash about for new direction, the giants in America and Europe must deal with the forces of globalisation.

Economist.com [© The Economist Newspaper Limited]

South Africa: Sappi sunny on future

Fine paper and forestry products group Sappi remains positive about the outlook for its business and expected the changes the group had made to continue to show steady improvement in operating performance.

Sunday Times [© Sunday Times]

2007-02-13

China: Pulp friction for APP in Yunnan

China's increasingly tight watch over the sale of state assets to foreigners has been extended to forests, with Beijing holding up the sale of a majority stake in a timber company to Asia Pulp & Paper.

FT.com [© The Financial Times Limited]

2007-02-12

Russian export tariff could end timber imports into Finland

Russia is raising the export duties of felled timber so high that it is likely to mean the end of imports of raw timber from Russia into Finland within a few years. Russia is using its customs and duty policy to compel Western countries to build pulp and paper factories in Russia.

Helsingin Sanomat [© Helsingin Sanomat]

South Africa: Paper price hikes may allow Sappi to turn over a new leaf

Following five quarters of losses, broken only by a small profit of 18 US cents a share in the three months to last September, Sappi looks as though it may have at last turned the corner and started to get its business back on track.

BusinessReport [© Business Report]

2007-01-20

India: Raw material scarcity is an issue

Even as most industries are clocking double-digit growth, the domestic paper industry is still chugging along in a single-digit growth trajectory.

The Economic Times [© Times Internet Limited]